VIDEO: School Bus Driver Plows Through Flood Water

(CBS) — After days of flooding, it’s something we’ve heard over and over again: Don’t drive through flood waters.

But a school bus driver did just that Monday. CBS 2’s Kris Habermehl was flying between Des Plaines and Prospect Heights when he spotted the vehicle.

CBS 2’s Mai Martinez reports.

Barricades blocking flooded roads have been up since Thursday. Still, around 6:45 a.m. Monday, the school bus, identified as belonging to Illinois Central School Bus, plowed through the flood waters.

There were no kids on board at the time, a company spokesman says, adding the company doesn’t approve of the behavior.

The driver has been suspended until further notice, the spokesman said.

Officials at Glenview School District 34, which uses buses from the company, was not pleased about the incident, which occurred as the bus driver was headed to Glenview to begin picking up students.

“While the bus was used for routes this morning, there were no incidents with the bus. However, as a precautionary measure, the bus has been pulled off all afternoon routes and the driver will not be driving District 34 routes while the incident is being investigated by Illinois Central School Bus,” the district said in a written statement.

Bus driver April Parker, who was not at the wheel, couldn’t believe the video of the daredevil move.

“I would call in my base, and tell them that I’m stuck in a flood. I wouldn’t even try it,” Parker says. “That’s dangerous, it could mess up that engine.”

Mai Martinez co-anchors CBS 2 Chicago’s weekend evening newscasts and serves as general assignment reporter during the week. Martinez joined the CBS 2 Chicago team in May of 2006.
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